An initial report on the cessation of labor of thousands of
dedicated farmers in the current shmitta year has been
brought to the attention of the Keren Hashevi'is
administration. A special meeting was called to fix
procedures for the first distribution of funds of the Keren
and to discuss the manner in which the public will share the
burden of the farmers who have displayed a staunch desire to
keep the laws of shmitta kehilchoso without
compromise.
A special reception for HaRav Azriel Shechter and HaRav Chaim
Moshe Feldman was held at the meeting. HaRav Shechter is the
rav and moreh tzedek of London and the chairman of the
Keren Hashevi'is drive in England, who makes tireless efforts
on behalf of shmitta observant farmers in Eretz
Yisroel. HaRav Feldman is one of the most distinguished
leaders the London chareidi community and a staunch supporter
of Keren Hashevi'is.
HaRav Azriel Shechter thanked those who blessed him and in
his divrei Torah related that during his visit to
Eretz Yisroel, he personally visited shmitta observant
farmers in order to encourage them. He also brought them
greetings from England's chareidi Jews who, toward the end of
the sixth year, rallied together to assist the giborei
Hashem -- the shmitta observant farmers -- and to
become loyal, genuine partners with these courageous men who
fulfill this mitzvah with great dedication.
"During my visit to their fields, I was amazed and deeply
stirred by the mesiras nefesh and courage of the
farmers," HaRav Shechter said. "I saw a huge field belonging
to a flower grower, whose flowers had been at the height of
their growth, yet had dried out only because he had decided
to let his field lie fallow, and in line with the rabbonim's
guidelines did not water his flowers when shmitta year
began.
"I don't know many urban dwellers who could withstand such a
test," HaRav Shechter added. "These farmers have agreed to
forego their livelihoods for the entire shmitta. Would
a city dweller honestly say that he would stop work for an
entire year if he had no other source of livelihood?
"The remarkable situation in which thousands of farmers,
among them many who are new to shmitta kehilchoso
observance, have agreed to let vast areas of land lie fallow
is the direct result of the efforts of the chareidi sector in
recent generations, who are fulfilling their moral
obligations by promising the farmers help by providing for
their families. This obligation they have taken upon
themselves due to the appeals of maranan verabonon the
gedolei hador, who have determined that all urban
dwellers must be loyal partners with the courageous
shmitta observant farmers.
HaRav Chaim Moshe Feldman, in whose London home a special
fundraising drive on behalf of Keren Hashevi'is was held,
also expressed his delight over the fact that distinguished
public figures are seeing to it that shmitta in the
fields will be fully observed and that the farmers will be
supported, as requested by gedolei Yisroel. He said
that according to most halachic authorities, shmitta
observance at this time is miderabbonon and, as such,
requires more strengthening than mitzvos deOraisa. He
added that all activists involved in the issue must work to
overcome all difficulties, hoping that we will be delivered
on the merit of the observance of the laws of shmitta
in full.
The following distinguished rabbonim were present and spoke
at the meeting of the executive board, which was also
attended by the activists of Keren Hashevi'is and the
Nationwide Center for Shmitta Observing Farmers:
Rabbis Avrohom Nosson Barnet, Betzalel Gudlevski, Eizik
Goldstein, Yehuda Akiva Gelber, Refoel Hoffman, Moshe Hess,
Shlomo Vidislevski, Reuven Vindenbaum, Yosef Yoskovits,
Naftoli Yaakovson, Yissochor Dov Lederman, Yosef Minkah,
Shmuel Mordechai Mintz, Moshe Bunim Mintz, Avrohom Mordechai
Mendelsohn, Yisroel Yitzchok Mendelsohn, Yosef Pardess,
Avrohom Kliers and Avrohom Tzvi Roshgold.
Reports about drives on behalf of the Keren Hashevi'is in
Eretz Yisroel and the world over were delivered at the
meeting, as were reports about efforts to inculcate the idea
of shmitta to Jews everywhere so that each and every
Jews will aspire to become an actual partner in the great
mitzvah of shmitta, which, as maranan verabonon
have said, rests upon all of us.
At the meeting it was decided to set up a support committee
to formulate procedures for distribution of the first wave of
contributions and the manner in which the public will share
the burden of the shmitta observant farmers.
Procedures will be in accordance with specific types of
crops, the areas and quantities of land and other statistics
collected by the coordinators of the Nationwide Center for
Shmitta Observing Farmers. It was also proposed that a
committee for roshei kollel be established which will
examine the means for assisting and adopting shmitta
observing farmers by existing kollelim.
